Historian

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Work Tasks

• Research and gather information about the past
• Use photos, interviews, films, books, diaries, and letters to find out what the past was like
• Look at a region during a certain time period, or study one specific thing like politics or social history
• Some may trace family histories, study one certain person, or study old buildings or artifacts
• Work for libraries, museums, colleges, archives, historical societies, publishers, corporations, as consultants and for the government
• Work with written materials, photographs, artifacts, archaeological remains, verbal accounts of events, computers, articles, and historical exhibits

Salary, Size & Growth

• $57,500 average per year ($27.75 per hour)
• A small occupation (3,300 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow moderately (1.2% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: A 4-year degree for entry level positions in research, administration, and management
• Employers Prefer: A master's or Ph.D. for college teaching, research, and administrative positions
• Skills/Courses: Skills are learned through internships and field experience in museums, historical societies, and government agencies.